What is social competence?

Social competence refers to a person’s ability to get along with other people. A child’s social competence is affected by how well she communicates with other children and with adults. A child’s views of herself in relation to her family, peers, and the wider world also affect her social competence.

What makes social competence so important during childhood?

A young child’s ability to get along with other children contributes much to all aspects of his development. How well a child gets along with others may be "the single best childhood predictor of adult adaptation,” according to W.W. Hartup. For example, “Children who are generally disliked, who are aggressive and disruptive, who are unable to sustain close relationships with other children, and who cannot establish a place for themselves in the peer culture are seriously at risk" (Hartup, 1992, p. 1). Quite a bit of research during the past 20 years suggests that children who do not have a basic level of social competence by the age of 6 may have trouble with relationships when they are adults (Ladd, 2000; Parker & Asher, 1987). The long-range risks for a child who cannot interact well with other children may include poor mental health, low academic achievement and other school difficulties, and poor employment history (Katz & McClellan, 1997).

On the other hand, a child is more likely to have better mental health, stronger relationships, and more success in school and work if he has many chances to strengthen his social competence by playing, talking, working out disagreements,and collaborating with peers and adults. It is not necessary that a child be a "social butterfly." Quality matters more than quantity when it comes to a child's friendships. Children who have at least one close friend usually tend to increase their positive feelings about school over time (Ladd, 1999). Some children may simply be more shy, more inhibited, or more cautious than others. Pushing such children to interact with peers can make them very uncomfortable. Unless a child is so extremely shy that she cannot enjoy many of the "good things of life" (parties, picnics, family outings), she will probably outgrow her shyness if adults around her handle it with calm understanding.

How does a child develop social competence?

A person’s social development starts at birth. Even tiny babies begin to interact with the people around them. They respond to voices. They cry to let caregivers know they need something. They make eye contact and smile at those who feed them, hold them, or play with them.

Adults and older children, intentionally or not, are models for young children of how to behave with other people. In fact, a great deal of children’s social behavior is influenced by what they observe other people doing.

Most children’s social skills increase rapidly during the preschool years. It is important to keep in mind that children of the same age may not have the same levels of social competence. Research shows that children have distinct personalities and temperaments from birth. Some children may face special challenges when they interact with peers and adults. A visually impaired child may not be able to “read” peers’ gestures and facial expressions. A child with hearing, speech, or language difficulties may have trouble with the day-to-day talk that helps children become friends.

Relationships within the family may also affect a child’s social behavior. Behavior that is appropriate or effective in one culture may be less so in another culture. Children from diverse cultural and family backgrounds thus may need help in bridging their differences and in finding ways to learn from and enjoy one another. Teachers can help by creating classroom communities that are open, honest, and accepting of differences.

Much research suggests that pretend play can contributeto young children’s social and intellectual development. When children pretend to be someone or something else, they practice taking points of view other than their own. When they pretend together, children often take turns and make “deals” anddecisions cooperatively. Such findings suggest that children in early childhood programs ought to have regular opportunities for social play and pretend play. Teachers can observe and monitor the children’s interactions.

How can we evaluate a child’s social competence?

The checklist below was created to help teachers and caregivers check to see whether a child’s social competence is developing well. The intent of this checklist is not to prescribe correct social behavior but rather to help teachers observe, understand, and support children whose social skills are still forming. The list is based on research on elements of young children’s social competence and on studies comparing behavior of well-liked children with that of children who are not as well liked (Katz & McClellan, 1997; Ladd & Profilet, 1996; McClellan & Kinsey, 1999).

Many of the attributesincluded in the checklist indicate adequate social growth if they are usually true of the child. Illness, fatigue,or other stressors can cause short-term variations in a child’s apparent social competence. Such difficulties may last only a few days. Teachers or caregivers will want to assess each child based on their frequent direct contact with the child, observation of the child in a variety of situations, and information given by parents and other caregivers.

If a child seems to have most of the traits in the checklist, then she is not likely to need special help to outgrow occasional difficulties. On the other hand, a child who shows few of the traits on the list might benefit from adult-initiated strategies to help build more satisfying relationships with other children.

The Social Attributes Checklist

I. Individual Attributes

The child:

Is usually in a positive mood.

Usually comes to the program willingly.

Usually copes with rebuffs or other disappointments adequately.

Shows interest in others.

Shows the capacity to empathize.

Displays the capacity for humor.

Does not seem to be acutely lonely.

II. Social Skills Attributes

The child usually:

Interacts nonverbally with other children with smiles, waves, nods, etc.

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